Super Ted comes to the rescue with a double for Holy Trinity
IN the First Division of the Southport and District Table Tennis League, while the ‘cats away the mice will play’ - the cats being Crosby A, B and C without a match, and the mice the chasing pack.
A good week for Holy Trinity A started off with a rearranged match away to Southport A. Without number one Barry Davies, Ted Cramsie from their C team stepped in and produced the goods, winning both his singles and a doubles partnering Mal Kent.
Captain Brian Crolley also chipped in with a win, as did Mal. For Southport Miro Veliky and Bernhard Frank kept the home side in it throughout, both with two wins apiece and a vital first doubles success, earning the Southport side a creditable draw.
Argyle A too, pressed all the right buttons in their convincing home win over Waddington B, where Nick Miller playing up from the D team was impressive with a full quota of wins, and the same can be said for Barry Crook, who is beginning to look like the fearsome adversary of old, matching Nick’s haul. Down at the wrong end of the table Argyle B denied bottom team Waddington C a share of the spoils, taking the match in the last contest of the evening, double’s pair Chris Parks and Allister Taylor delivering the decisive blow, this after home pair Dave Noden and Nick Foss had kept their hopes alive.
The week got off to a reasonable start for Holy Trinity A, could it end that way?
We head to Waddington A to see how it turned out for them, and with the news that Barry Davies was back, Holy Trinity would be without captain Brian Crolley, Sue Hughes taking his place.
Home captain Gordon Wood was up first to face Mal Kent, and a good start by Gordon taking the first 11-9, didn’t last, next three to Mal 9-11,5-11,911, and the visitors lead.
Matt Wilson squared things up, winning in three straight versus Colin Mitchell, before Sue Hughes restored her side’s lead, overcoming Colin Fyles in four games, it’s 1-2 Holy Trinity. First doubles next, Matt and Darren Taylor up against Barry and Colin.
A very close first was edged by the home pair 11-9, the second was even closer, a fabulous tussle with just about everything happening, 13-11 to Matt and Darren. More straightforward in the third 11-6 Waddington, making it 2-2.
Darren and Barry stayed at the table, and Darren’s thoughts at the end were that he wished he hadn’t, a comprehensive win for Barry, and the visitors lead again, 2-3.
Second doubles pairing Colin and Gordon tried to no avail against Mal and Sue, always playing catch up, three straight and we are at 2-4.
A promising start for Darren, an 11-5 win in the first against Mal, but with that infamous back hand hit and block working overtime, Mal dominated the next three, 5-11,5-11,9-11, making the match at least safe at 2-5.
Matt brought his side back into the frame after beating his opposite number Barry in three games, could they pull it off? ‘Leaving the best till last’ sums up the climax of this entertaining encounter, part one, Gordon versus Sue, and the murmurings were, we could be here for some time.
Two great defenders, just the one point at stake, who would falter?
First game to Sue 8-11, in the second Gordon knuckled down tempting Sue to attack, which worked very well giving him the next two games, 11-9, 11-4. A fascinating battle, Sue fought temptation and got herself back on level terms taking the fourth 8-11.
Exactly the same in the fifth, 8-11 to Sue, and the match was safe, it’s 3-6.
Part two, the two Colins concluded the match, a total opposite this one, a feisty attacking affair throughout, first one way, then the other, mistakes yes, winners in abundance, five games 10-12, 11-5, 11-9, 5-11 , 5-11, super entertainment with a final score of 3-7 Holy Trinity. That win along with their earlier draw lifts them to fourth on 39pts, Argyle are fifth on 38pts. Argyle D (51pts) regained top spot in the Second Division, with a win over Waddington D.